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AU Bank Zenith Plus Credit Card Review
- 0.99% forex markup — class-leading, saves ₹12-15K/year on ₹5L international spend vs 3.5% cards
- 5,000 RP welcome + 5,000 RP annual renewal credit (₹5K value each)
- 16 domestic + 16 international (Priority Pass) lounge visits a year, 4 each per quarter2
- × reward rate on dining, travel, international spends
- Taj Epicure membership complimentary on ₹12L spend
- Renewal fee waived on ₹8L annual spend
- ₹75K retail spend per statement cycle → 1,000 bonus RP (up to 12K/year)
- Premium metal card stock
- BOGO movies on BookMyShow
- Base earn on non-accelerated categories is 1% (lower than HDFC/Axis at 2-3%)
- AU Small Finance Bank has smaller retail footprint than HDFC/ICICI/Axis
- Priority Pass visits use primary RP balance (guest visits charged)
- Reward catalogue narrower than big-bank rivals
- Check point validity in the AU app — check AU app for current expiry policy
Fees & charges
| Item | Charge |
|---|---|
| Joining fee | ₹4,999 + GST (₹5,899 total) |
| Renewal fee | ₹4,999 + GST — waived on ₹8L annual spend |
| Finance charge | 2.99% p.m. (35 |
| .88% p.a.) | Cash advance |
| Nil cash withdrawal fee; interest from day 1 | Forex |
| markup | 0.99% |
| Late payment | 15% of total amount due (min ₹10, max ₹1,300) |
Eligibility & documents
Salaried income
AU’s published minimum is net monthly income of ₹2.5 lakh. Final approval is at AU’s discretion.
Self-employed
AU lists the same ₹2.5 lakh net monthly income threshold.
Age
21–60 years (salaried); 25–65 years (self-employed)
Recommended CIBIL
750+ with clean repayment history
Typical credit limit
₹2 lakh – ₹20 lakh based on profile
Documents
PAN, Aadhaar, salary slips + bank statements (salaried) OR 2 years ITR (self-employed), address proof
Rewards structure
Base earn:
- 2 RP per ₹100 (2%) on dining, travel, and international spends
- 1 RP per ₹100 (1%) on all other eligible retail; utility, telecom, insurance, education, government and rent capped at 1,000 RP per cycle; no RP on cash, EMI, fuel, transport, BBPS and quasi-cash
Monthly spend milestone: Spend ₹75,000+ in eligible retail spends in a statement cycle (utility, insurance, transport, rent, education, government, fuel, cash and EMI excluded) and earn 1,000 bonus reward points. Max 12,000 bonus RP per year.
Taj Epicure milestone: Spend ₹12 lakh in a year and receive a complimentary Taj Epicure membership (retail value ~₹10,000) — premium dining discounts at Taj restaurants and luxury hotel benefits.
Renewal bonus: From Year 2 onwards, AU credits 5,000 reward points on every renewal fee payment.
Redemption: 1 RP = ₹1 via AU Rewardz catalogue for flight/hotel bookings and merchandise. 1 RP = ₹0.50 as statement credit. Points have defined expiry (check AU app).
Welcome benefits & milestones
Welcome benefits: Choose ONE:
- Welcome vouchers worth ₹5,000 from Taj Hotels, Michael Kors, Tata Cliq, or other luxury brands (selection offered on activation)
- 5,000 reward points (₹5,000 value on AU Rewardz)
On activation within 90 days of card issuance.
Monthly milestone: Up to 1,000 bonus RP per statement cycle on a minimum retail spend of ₹75,000 in that cycle (issuer wording: “per statement cycle”). Hit it every cycle and you collect up to 12,000 bonus RP/year.
Annual fee waiver: Spend ₹8 lakh in the anniversary year → next year’s fee waived completely.
Taj Epicure membership: AU’s current Zenith+ marketing lists Taj Epicure as a milestone benefit on ₹12 lakh net retail spend in a card anniversary year. It is not part of the ₹5,000 welcome benefit. Standalone retail value is ~₹10,000. Confirm current activation rules with AU before relying on it.
Renewal credit: 5,000 RP on every renewal from Year 2 onwards.
Key benefits
- Lounges: 16 domestic lounge visits/year + 16 international via Priority Pass (4 each per quarter); Priority Pass use within India is chargeable
- Golf: Up to 8 complimentary golf games or lessons a year (2 per calendar quarter)
- BOGO Movies: Up to 16 buy-one-get-one BookMyShow movie/event tickets a year (4 per quarter, discount up to ₹500 per ticket)
- Taj Epicure: Complimentary membership on ₹12L spend (premium dining benefits)
- Dining programme: 15-25% off at partner restaurants
- Insurance: Air accident up to ₹2 crore, credit shield up to ₹15 lakh, purchase protection up to ₹50,000
- Free
- add-on cards for family members.
- Complimentary Device Protection Plan — listed on AU’s current Zenith+ landing page; covers eligible electronics damage (verify current sum insured and claim process in MITC).
- Xpress EMI on transactions ₹2,000 or more.
Usage terms & fine print
Lounge access
16 complimentary domestic lounge visits per year (4 per quarter). 16 complimentary international lounge visits per year (4 per quarter) via Priority Pass; Priority Pass use within India is chargeable. Guest visits charged (~USD 35).
Fuel surcharge waiver
1% fuel surcharge waiver on transactions between ₹400 and ₹5,000, capped at ₹1,000 per statement cycle. Fuel does not earn reward points.
Interest-free period
Interest-free credit up to 50 days on retail. Minimum amount due is 2% or 5% of principal (depending on whether the previous bill was paid in full) plus all fees, interest, EMIs and GST.
EMI conversion
Xpress EMI on transactions ₹2,000 or more (per issuer page). Tenures typically 3–24 months; interest 0–1.5% p.m.; processing fee 1% of the amount, minimum ₹99 + GST.
Digital wallets & UPI
Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay supported. Visa Infinite tap-to-pay. Zenith+ is also issued on RuPay, and the RuPay variant can be linked to UPI.
Insurance cover
Air accident ₹2 crore, credit shield up to ₹15 lakh, purchase protection up to ₹50,000, cover for baggage delay, flight delay, passport loss and hijack, and lost-card liability cover
Interactive reward calculator
Inputs pre-filled with typical values. Edit to get your personalised earnings — caps and milestones update live.
Compared with alternatives
Tap any card for full head-to-head.
HSBC Travel One (₹5K) (comparison coming soon)
Direct rival on forex (0.99% vs AU’s 0.99%). HSBC adds 20+ airline transfer partners; AU has better welcome bundle.
Amex Platinum Travel (₹5K) →
Same fee, milestone-heavy (₹7L unlocks ₹42K value). 3.5% forex vs AU’s 0.99%. Pick Amex for bigger milestones; AU for international.
HDFC Regalia Gold (₹2,500) →
Half the fee. 12 lounges + Swiggy/MMT memberships. 3.5% forex (higher). Pick Regalia Gold for domestic; AU Zenith+ for international.
AU Zenith (non-Plus, ₹3K) →
Cheaper AU variant without metal card + fewer lounges. Step up to Zenith+ if you travel internationally.
Who the AU Bank Zenith Plus is for
AU Zenith+ is ideal for international travellers spending ₹3-8 lakh abroad per year — the 0.99% forex markup saves ₹10-20K/year vs standard 3.5% cards, making the ₹5K fee easily justified. Also strong for anyone wanting a sub-₹6K premium metal card with 16 Priority Pass international lounge visits a year. The annual renewal credit + welcome bundle make Year 1 effectively free.
Not the right card if: your spending is primarily domestic with low international — standard 3.5% forex cards like HDFC Regalia Gold are cheaper and more rewarding. Also not right if you prefer HDFC/ICICI ecosystem (AU’s redemption catalogue and service footprint are smaller).
How to apply & how to cancel
Apply: Apply via the Zenith+ page on au.bank.in or the AU 0101 app. Eligibility soft-pull instant. Approval 3-5 business days. Video-KYC supported. Delivery 7-10 days.
Cancel: Call AU’s 24×7 helpline (1800 1200 1500). Clear dues; redeem reward points before closure. Renewal fee non-refundable after 30 days.
Final verdict
AU Zenith+ is the quiet star of India’s premium card segment. The 0.99% forex + 32 lounge visits a year + ₹5K welcome + monthly milestones combine into a package that’s genuinely best-in-class at ₹5K fee. The only reason this card isn’t more widely held is AU’s smaller brand footprint vs HDFC/ICICI. For international travellers, this is a must-hold.
Frequently asked questions
Is 0.99% really the lowest forex in India?
No — several Indian credit cards, including IDFC FIRST Bank’s zero-forex cards, now charge 0%; 0.99% is still low for a premium card. HSBC Travel One also offers 0.99%. Specialist forex cards (Niyo Global, some travel wallets) go to 0% but have different issuance criteria.
How do I choose welcome benefit — vouchers or RP?
On card activation, AU shows both options. Vouchers (Taj/Michael Kors/TataCliq) are immediately usable; RP (5,000 points) can be redeemed flexibly over time. Most users pick vouchers for immediate value.
Does monthly ₹75K milestone count combined or per-category?
Combined monthly spend — all eligible retail transactions across any category count toward the ₹75K threshold.
What is Taj Epicure?
Taj’s loyalty programme — provides 15-20% off at Taj restaurants, complimentary welcome drink, priority bookings. Retail cost ~₹10,000/year. Bundled free with Zenith+ on ₹12L annual spend milestone.
Is the renewal 5K RP credit guaranteed?
Yes — from Year 2 onwards, paying the renewal fee credits 5,000 RP. Not spend-dependent.
Does AU Zenith+ have UPI linking?
Yes, on the RuPay variant — Zenith+ is issued on both Visa and RuPay. The Visa variant cannot be linked to UPI. Works via Google Pay/PhonePe for Visa-accepting merchants.
Can I upgrade AU Zenith to Zenith+?
Yes — AU allows horizontal upgrade within Zenith family. Tenure carries over.
Is AU Small Finance Bank safe?
AU SFB is RBI-regulated under the Small Finance Bank license. Deposits covered up to ₹5 lakh under DICGC insurance. Credit card issuance is regulated equivalent to scheduled commercial banks.
Do AU reward points expire?
Reward points have an expiry (typically 2-3 years from earn date per AU policy). Check the AU app’s rewards section for exact expiry dates.
What is the minimum AQB or balance requirement?
No minimum savings-account balance required for credit card issuance. Zenith+ is issued based on income/CIBIL profile, not banking relationship.
Data current as of October 2026. Credit card fees, rewards and benefits are revised periodically by issuers. Always confirm current terms with the issuer before applying.
Premium extras (per issuer page, Apr 2026)
- Taj Epicure Membership — premium dining benefits at IHCL/Taj properties (member-only rates, complimentary courses)
- Complimentary Device Protection Plan — covers phones/tablets/laptops
- Add-on Cards at no extra cost — free supplementary cards for family
- 24×7 Global Concierge Assistance — travel/dining/event bookings
- 1% Fuel Surcharge Waiver on ₹400-5,000 transactions, max ₹1,000/cycle (notably higher than most cards’ ₹100-250 cap)
- Up to ₹2 Crore Air Accident cover
- Zero liability on lost-card fraudulent transactions (post reporting)
Eligibility (per AU Bank issuer page, Apr 2026)
- Monthly Net Income: ₹2.5 Lakh+ (HNI threshold for premium tier)
- Salaried Indian: age 21-60 years
- Self-employed Indian: age 25-65 years
- Add-on cardholder: minimum age 18 (free, no extra cost)
- Resident Indian only
- Final approval at AU Bank discretion